Hybrid rankings: Union of Concerned Scientists hybrid car ratings

The Prius has no conventional non-hybrid counterpart. Its Toyota stablemate, the Matrix, was used for comparison.

The Prius has no conventional non-hybrid counterpart. Its Toyota stablemate, the Matrix, was used for comparison. (Associated Press)

Environmental score (0 is worst, 10 is best) is the measure of a vehicle's improvement in global warming pollution over its closest conventional counterpart, along with its smog-forming emissions performance.

Forced features (None to $$$$$) is a measure of how many "premium" or "upgraded" features are included on a hybrid as standard equipment but are not included on the base-model conventional counterpart. Forced features artificially drive up the price of hybrids.

Potholes are one of the few downsides to spring. All that freezing and thawing breaks up the roadway, and your car -- more specifically, your car's wheels and tires -- can suffer and sustain damage if you're not careful. So be careful. But how?